Porcelain sculpture artists employ underglazes and overglazes as essential tools to achieve intricate layered color effects, transforming raw clay into vibrant works of art. Underglazes, applied before the initial firing, provide a stable base layer of color. These pigments bond deeply with the clay body, ensuring durability while allowing subtle blending and shading. Artists often build multiple underglaze layers, using techniques like sgraffito (scratching) or masking to create depth.

After the bisque firing, overglazes are added atop the hardened underglaze layers. These low-fire enamels introduce brilliance and translucency, enabling artists to refine details or add metallic accents. By strategically layering overglazes, they achieve luminous effects—such as iridescence or gradient transitions—that underglazes alone cannot replicate. The final glaze firing melts the overglazes into a glass-like finish, sealing the colors while preserving their dimensional interplay.

Mastery of this dual-layering process allows ceramicists to mimic natural textures (like floral petals or skin tones) or abstract patterns with remarkable precision. The interplay of underglazes’ opacity and overglazes’ sheen unlocks endless creative possibilities in porcelain art.